Junkers Ju 52 WkNr 130714
| Company type | Aircraft |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Founded | 1936 |
| Products | Junkers Ju 52 aircraft |
D-AQUI, recognized as the oldest operational Ju 52, was manufactured in 1936 with the serial number 5489 and originally registered under the name D-AQUI Fritz Simon. That same year, it was sold to the Norwegian carrier DNL (Det Norske Luftfartselskap A/S) and re-registered as LN-DAH Falken. However, during the German invasion of Norway in 1940, the aircraft was seized by the German Army, reverted to its original registration, and renamed Kurt Wintgens.
Following World War II, the Allies returned the plane to DNL. In 1947, it underwent reconstruction as a Ju 52/3mg8e using fuselage Werk Nummer 130714, received the registration LN-KAF Askeladden, and operated on SAS’s coastal route in Norway between Tromsø and Kirkenes until 1956.
After being grounded for a year at Oslo Airport, Fornebu, it was sold in 1957 to Coronel Jacinto Ruales of Ecuador’s TAO (Transportes Aéreos Orientales). The aircraft was re-registered as HB-ABS Amazonas. Disassembled and shipped in crates, it was reassembled under the supervision of former Lufthansa pilot Christoph Drexel. TAO deployed it for scheduled flights connecting Quito with remote Amazonian communities, navigating challenging mountain passes and unprepared airstrips.
The plane was withdrawn from service in 1963 due to increasing demand for larger aircraft driven by oil exploration activities. After remaining parked at Quito Airport for six years, it was acquired by former USAF pilot Lester Weaver for $52,500. Registered as N130LV, it held an "experimental" certification.
In 1975, American author Martin Caidin purchased the aircraft for $52,500 and named it Iron Annie (N52JU). Based in Gainesville, Florida, it became a prominent participant in airshows and achieved records such as the shortest takeoff for a Ju 52 and hosting the greatest number of wing-walkers simultaneously.
Lufthansa took ownership of the aircraft in December 1984. It completed a transatlantic flight from west to east to Hamburg and resumed operations bearing registration D-CDLH with its original D-AQUI markings displayed on the wings. Renamed Tempelhof, it remained operational until late 2015 when structural damage led to its temporary grounding until mid-2016.
The aircraft returned to active status in early 2017; however, Lufthansa ended its financial backing for passenger flights in early 2019, restricting its use solely to airshow appearances. Subsequently, its wings were detached and transported by road to Munich for planned museum exhibition. In 2020, restoration efforts commenced after relocating the plane to the Quax Association at Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport.